Recently I attended an HR seminar which gave some really great insight to the behavior of employees in any organization. It was quite clear that any organization needs to make their employees feel valued and have a reputable organization to work for equally built with a solid set of values and a great product we will be proud to sell or simply be a part of. It was also made quite clear that what ever we put our time into is what we value the most, no matter what we say.
If we say we like to be at work on time, yet are consistently late, then we clearly value sleeping in rather than making it to work on time, which brings me to my own thoughts in furthering what I learnt at the seminar.

For me, consistency keeps ringing in my mind. We can be late because we had an emergency or the traffic was out of the ordinary, and that would be fine, but if our behavior is more erratic or lacks consistency then I think our values become questionable.

I have also been thinking of this more in my own life and those lives that I surround myself by…

Consistency means that an argument or set of ideas, does not contain any logical contradictions, and I find this to be incredibly important in every day living. I honestly find it confusing when someone, especially someone I care about tells me a bunch of information, values and stories about their present lives, yet the actions they live out are not always consistent with what they say. The values they speak of are not always implemented into their daily living, or perhaps they are (at times), yet change based on moods or circumstance. It reminds me of something Joseph Bonifacio mentioned in an event at church. He said, “If you are nice to some people and a jerk to others, then you are a jerk!” Likewise, if we have honest, encouraging, humble conversations with some people and sleazy, immoral or disreputable conversations with others then simply saying, we are sleazy and immoral. And more often than not, this is what people remember of us. Fishing dirt out of our meal before we eat it won’t guarantee a clean meal. Having a meal with no dirt to begin with will give us a clean meal. I think this is a great example of consistency and how important it is in our lives, and if we are not consistent with our values, or what we say our values are, then arguably our values are not what we say they are.

Been there and done that! I have had a season in my life when I was not living how I would have liked to be. I was in very difficult circumstances and although I valued one thing in my heart, I often lived out another. This was a time I was not close to God, I was not reading my bible and I was running purely on my own wisdom or lack of. It wasn’t till I started building a relationship with God that I saw where my values really lay at the time. I still meant good in my heart, yet I was selfish and self seeking, so not always showing it. Even though I would still encourage the people I love to do what I felt was the right thing, I wasn’t always choosing the right thing myself. I was unhappy and seeking happiness from the world, be it the wrong relationship, lying to get out of things, thinking of my own happiness before others, which all deliver quick fixes and delay joy. Well thanks to some painful experiences and hard but beneficial lessons, I found my values again and was able to start living them out.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I think Integrity is an excellent description for this, in that it is the state of being whole and undivided. Having a strong set of moral principles and living them out.

Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Its so easy to make ourselves look good. All we need is a perfect photo along with a sweet comment on Facebook and all the gullible people in the world believe that’s how we are. I think it’s much more important to base our decisions on what we personally see in action. Not just a snapshot of someone at a charity event, but the consistent events in their lives on a day to day basis, without picking out the best moments of each day and posting them on Facebook to create an illusion of integrity. This can be quite deceiving if it’s not really the case. Sometimes it is, yet more often it’s not.

I have some amazing friends and am so blessed to have them in my life. Because of how they consistently live a value based life full of integrity, I know I can always count on them to take care of our friendship. Because of this, I know there will always be clarity in our friendship and no confusion. I know they will always give me great advice when I need it, not advice that changes depending on the environment they are in. Why? Because their values are grounded and therefor consistent.

I’ve been working this into my own life the past couple of years, and although I’m not perfect like the rest of us, I know that I want and need to live my life consistently following my values, or I will always be miserable. I will always be a terrible friend. And quite frankly those who matter most to me, won’t take me seriously without a more grounded way of living. If I valued a worldly life more than my friends, this would be unfortunate yet fine as I would be true and honest to my decision, not saying one thing and secretly doing another, however the people I love are more important to me than any worldly, self seeking event could be, and this is my personal decision and what I value more.

And on that note, I’m dedicating this to a birthday girl ‘Len’, and very good friend of mine who has always been an inspiration in my life. She is a beautiful, loving, compassionate and selfless girl who I am so blessed to have had as a friend all these years, and a positive influence in my life.

Psalm 119:1-176
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!